Surrounded by blackness, I rocked in my wicker chair before dawn. With an afghan tucked around me, I read my Bible and daily devotionals by the porch light.
As dawn lifted its black veil, silence was broken. A boisterous tirade between unseen cardinals sounded. Lifting his huge wings, a blue heron bellowed and crossed the lake. Loud warblings ricocheted from shore to shore. Morning bird tunes played background music as light increased.
A sand hill crane flapped gigantic wings and took flight. White ducks resisted the wake up call and snoozed on the bank. Squirrels squawked from towering trees.
Filmy haze tiptoed above the water. Yellow leaves sprinkled the oak like an ice cream topping. Palms, pines, and live oaks clutched their leaves refusing to bare themselves.
Shivers told me autumn had arrived. Flowers faded. Growth slowed. Leaves lost luster. I missed the vibrancy of summer but found loveliness in the change.
An upcoming birthday reminded me that I’m also entering autumn. Older limbs don’t bend or flex on command. Stamina has decreased. Wrinkles and bulges appear. Sleep often eludes.
But in retirement I traded lesson plans, meetings, and endless paperwork for reading, writing, traveling, volunteering, and visiting. There’s time to savor sunrises and sunsets. Granddaughters and daily walks bring enjoyment.
New opportunities come with each advancing season.
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